Microtoponyms and Oral Tradition: A Toponymic of Nagas of Khamsom (Kisumai) Village

Abstract

Toponyms serve as a historical depository of settlement, culture, habitation, ecology, belief systems and topography. They contain a wealth of socio-cultural information about the inhabitants and the geographic realities of the landscape. Place names function as descriptions and references to the physical environment, reflecting the interactions of the name-givers with their locale. Consequently, toponyms are filled with meaning and values, acting as a window into the world of the people who inherit them. Furthermore, the study of microtoponyms, which primarily exist in oral tradition and are often unknown to outsiders, offers rich insights into the socio-cultural, geographical, and linguistic contexts of specific communities. This paper employs ethnographic methods to explore microtoponyms of Khamsom (Kisumai), a Poumai Naga village in the Senapati district of Manipur, as a significant aspect of its cultural and geographical environment. By deciphering naming patterns as reflections of how people engage with their social and geographic realities, this study aims to enhance understanding of worldview of the village’s inhabitants and the Poumai Naga community more broadly.